House blocks Dem effort to force Issa apology for IRS hearing
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The House on Thursday voted to table a Democrat-backed resolution requiring House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., to apologize after a public feud with Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., at a hearing last week.
The vote was 273 to 173, with 10 members -- all of whom were either connected to the ethics committee or Issa himself -- voting present.
The feud came after Issa shut down the committee hearing when the IRS official at the center of the scandal involving targeting of conservative groups, Lois Lerner, again invoked the Fifth Amendment when asked a series of questions.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In doing so, Issa cut off Cummings' microphone as the panel's top Democrat continued to speak.
"You cannot just have a one-sided investigation," Cummings shouted. "There is absolutely something wrong with that. That is absolutely un-American."
Issa, though, defended his actions and told reporters after the hearing: "He was not directing questions toward the witness and the committee [had] already adjourned."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Issa later apologized to Cummings for his actions, and House Republicans last week blocked a different Democrat-backed resolution to formally chastise the Republican.
Fox News' Chad Pergram and James Schneider contributed to this report.